Embakasi gas tragedy: Three more suspects charged
From left: Austin Lilech, Oliver Mumo Munuve and Josephat Muia Manyolo when they appeared the Milimani Law Courts in Nairobi on March 6, 2024 over the Embakasi gas explosion.
What you need to know:
- Derick Kimathi, the main suspect in the case, is out on cash bail of Sh500,000.
- The businessman had been charged alongside three senior officials of Nema.
Three more suspects have been arraigned over the Embakasi gas tragedy that left 10 people dead and 600 others with burns.
Those arraigned before Milimani Senior Principal Magistrate Gilbert Shikwe are Austin Lilech, the landlord of the gas plant building, Oliver Mumo Munuve, an electrician, and Josephat Muia Manyolo, the driver of the lorry that exploded at Maxxis Energy Nairobi Limited, a gas refilling company, on the night of February 1-2, 2024.
Lilech, Munuve and Manyolo were arraigned seven days after the owner of the gas company - Derick Kimathi - was released on Sh2 million bail with an alternative cash bail of Sh500,000.
Investigating officer, Mr Isaack Kariuki, told the court that accused persons were being investigated for negligence, lack of due care and diligence, and murder.
Mr Kariuki said he and other investigators needed time to travel to Tanzania and Uganda to establish the source of the gas allegedly imported into the country.
Went into hiding
He also said post-mortem examinations of the bodies are yet to be conducted as some DNA samples need to be taken from relatives of the deceased for identification.
The police are yet to complete taking statements from potential witnesses.
"The investigation into this case has so many facets and the police need to cover the entire ground before charges can be laid against the suspects," Mr Kariuki said.
The investigating officer sought to have the accused persons remand the three for 14 days to assist with certain aspects of the investigation.
Mr Kariuki said all three had switched off their phones after the incident and "only resurfaced a few days ago."
The investigating officer further told the court that the accused persons resurfaced after Mr Kimathi was released on bail.
Out on a cash bail
But defence lawyers objected to the application for the detention of their clients, saying other suspects in the case had been granted bail.
The three were remanded until March 6, 2024 when Judge Magistrate Shikwe will rule on their bail application.
Mr Kimathi, the main suspect in the case, is out on a cash bail of Sh500,000.
The businessman, who had been charged alongside three senior officials of the National Environmental Management Authority (Nema).
The three Nema officials - Joseph Makau, David Warunya On'gare and Marianne Mutete Kioko - have since been released on bail without being charged by the High Court.
